Apparatus for applying pigment coatings



-Oct. 20, 1931. E. P. LANG 1,327,876

" APPARATUS FOR APPLYING PIGMENT COATINGS Filed Nov. 19, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 20, 1931.. E. P. LANG APPARATUS FOR APPLYING PIGMENT COATINGS Filed Nov. 19, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG'C'JD Fish-'5 Oct. 20, 1931. E. P. LANG APPARATUS FOR APPLYING PIGMENT COATINGS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 19, 192

15 W M-FP Patented Oct. 29, 193 1 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFmr.

EDWARD P. LANG-,0! DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOB TO OXFORD VARNISHI CORPORA- TION', OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN APPARATUS FOR APPLYING IIGMEINT COATINGS Application filed November 19, 1926. 'Serial No. 149,435.

This invention is concerned with apparatus for the application of liquid coatings and pigments to articles to be coated and has for its general object the provision of an apparatus adaptable to the coating of bulky and heavy articles of irregular shape.

Other objects of my invention include the provision of an apparatus of the character referred to which will operate with a minimum 19 degree of attention and operate either continuously or if. desired, intermittently when the objects to be coated are placed therein. A further object is the provision of a coating machinewhich will apply a liquid coating to objects havin irregularly shaped surfaces, depressed sur aces and overhanging portions. Other objects include economy in labor and preservation of the pigment solvent while maintaining a uniform consistency of the material being applied to the objects being coated.

Other objects of my invention will here-' inafter become apparent from the following description which refers to the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof. The essential characteristics are summarized in the claims.

In Fig. 1, I show a vertical cross-section of a coating machine embodying the rinciples of my invention; Fig. 2 is a partia crosssectional plan view of the machine; Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional detail of the re- 1 ceiving end of the machine; Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged cross-sectional details taken along the lines 4- 1 and"55 of Fig. 3 and showing means for controlling an intermittent flow of pigment; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail of the control shown in Figs. 4 and ,5; Fig. is an enlarged cross-sectional detail of an automatically operated valve disposed in a piping circuit comprising a circulating system for the pigments; Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view of the valve shown in Fig.

the pigment circulating system; Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional detail taken along the. line 1o-10 ofFig. 9. a

My invention. contemplates the provision of a machine which is particularly adaptable 60 to the application of coatings of pigments to and 10) through which slots the sheets of 7 Fig. 9 is an enlarged view of a pigment nozzle comprising part of,

heavybulky objectskwhich cannot be coated by the use of ordinary industrial spreading apparatus now in use. I provide a conveyor system in association with a housing or canopy wherein a series of pigment nozzles are arranged to project sheets or filaments of liquid coating at desired angles relative to the object to be coated whereby corners, crevicesand the end surfaces'of overhanging portions of the object may be completely and thoroughly coated without the entrapping air bubbles. Nozzles are a part ofa pigmentcirculating system which includes a pigment gathering or splash tray disposed beneath the housing and a dripping tray and piping connected to the gathering tray. The nozzles and piping are connected with a pump whereby a constant circulation of the pigments may be maintained. The nozzles are mounted within the housing in such manner that thin sheets or pigment may be projected toward the obj ect at an angle to both the vertical and horizontal to insure the complete and entire coating of the exposed surface ofthe object to be coated.

In the drawings and particularly in Fig. 1, I show an enclosure comprising a housing 15 wherein are disposed nozzles 17 having slots 17 a formed therein (see also Figs. '9

li uid coating may be projected toward the ob ect from opposite sides of the housing. At 18, I show atransvers'ely extending nozzle for coating the end surface of the object as will be hereinafter described. At the bottom of "the housing is disposed a conveyor 20 and beneath the conveyor, the pigment gathering or splash tray 21 of'a hopper shape at the bottom of which are screens 22 and 23 through which the pigment may pass through a reservoir 24. The bottom-of the reservoir is connected to a pipe 25 leading to a pump 26', preferably driven by a motor 27. Leading from the pump 26 is an upwardly extending pipe 30 which branches adjacent the top of the housing and extends thereinto along the sides thereof to afiord a connection for'the' nozzles 17 and 18. The housing is provided with an entrance door 32 and an exit door 33. Leading to the entrance door 32 is a conwhereby the coated o ject may be transferred to the drip conveyor 35 beneath which is pass'line 69 see Fig. 1.

placed a drip tray 36. The respective conveyors may be driven through, suitable power transmission by a motor 37 (see Fig. 2). The power transmission is such that the drip conveyor-35 will move at considerably less speed than the interiorly disposed conveyor 20 to afiord suflicient tlme for the surpluscoating to drain from the coated object. The

door at 33 may also be automatically operated as will be hereinafter described.

As shown in'Fig. 2, the conveyor 34 may be driven directly by the motor through a belt 40 extendin over a pulley 41 mounted on an outer end 0% a conveyor shaft 42. The shaft 42 is suitably supported in brackets 43 attached to the housing structure 15 of the machine. The shaft42 carries a sprocket 46- which drives a chain 47 which extends longitudinally of the housing but on the outside thereof to drive the sprocket 48 mounted on the conveyor shaft49. The shaft 49 carries a second sprocket 50 which drives the sprocket chain 51. The sprocket chain 51 extends over a sprocket 52 which is carried by conveyor shaft 53 of the drip conveyor 35.

The machine may be operated continuously insofaras the pump and pigment circulating system are concerned, but if it be desired to operate the machine intermittently or at least efi'ect an intermittent action of the nozzles, a valve such as is shown in Fig. 7 may be placed in the pigment circulating pipe 30 near the entrance door 32. This valve may comprise an apertured slide member exposed within the valve casing 6-1 to interrupt passage of pigment to the upper member of the maintain the va vein closed position. A projection 64 is placed on a door 32 whereby when the door has been permitted to swing to a closing position after the work has passed through the door opening, the door will maintain the valve in the open position shown in Fig. 7. When the valve is in \closed position, the pump continues towork and an excess pressure valve 66 is provided in a byto permit the pigment to circu ate only t rough the reservoir and pump when the valve isclos'ed. If desired, this valve may also be controlled by swinging movement of the exitdoor 33 whereby thepigment circulation may be arrested theinner end of the bracket 74 ipe 30. Aspring 63 tends tomasses dooi 32. The bracket 74 is suitably secured to the housing 15. Lugs 3411 are provided on the conveyor which may be ad usted to any desired spaced relation on theconveyor depending upon the number of pieces of work being carried thereby. These lugs 340; are adapted to engage the slide block 77 whereby the door 33 will be swung to the dot and dash position shown in Fig. 3 being forced by movement of the conveyor 34. The lug 34a escapes from its engagement with the slide block 77 in sprockets 346. During the en agement of passing over conveyor the lug 34a .with the slide block 7, the pivot pin 7 5 is brought into engagement'with the latching member 80 pivotally mounted on 32 whereby the door is-retained in sition shown in dotted lines until lug 340 (see Fig. 4) 80a of the latch 80 thusfreeing the pin 75 and link 76 to permit the door 32 to drop to closed position. The ln s 3411 and 3% are adjustably attached to t e conveyor'34 open pcthe second in predetermined spaced relation whereby.

the object will have suficient time to be moved on the conveyor 20 into to clear the door 32 when the engages the lower end near thedoor the housing latter drops.

to closed position. When the door 32 drops to closed position the valve 60'is 0 end so that pigment flows in the pipe 30 m the pump and through the nozzles 17 and 18. As the object is moved by the conveyor past the nozzles and toward the exit end of the housing 15, the door 33 is swung u wardly to an open osition by a link and sli e mechanism ig. 1 similar tothe mechanism shown in Fig. 3 or the inlet door 32. The lugs 20a are attached to the conveyor 20 in predetermined positions so that the door'33 will be opened only as the work approaches the exit of the housin nectin mechanism suc r If desired a. con- .as a bar may be 'provi ed. to connect the doors 32 and 33 whereby upon the first movements of the opening of the door '33, the valve60 will again be closed by the spring 63 to arrest the passage of the pigment to the nozzles.

One of the novel features of my invention is to be found in the manner in w As shown in Figs. 1 and 9, the nozzles 1 ich I sup: .port the nozzles 17 and 18 inthe housin aresusp'ended from a bracket to which is attached an adjustable link 91 having perfo-' rated ends disposed at right angles to each extend into any angle other and carr and '93 adjusta 1y secured together by any suitable means such as" screw members 94. The end of the nozzle is provided with a large cylindrical ortion 97 which is engaged by an annular camping member 95 which is secured to the member 93 and clamping bolt 96. As will be apparent from Fig. 9,

this arrangement will permit the positioning of the longitudinal nozzle member 17 to oblique to both the horizontal and vertical within the confines of the housing and the nozzle slot 17a may be turned to any degree by adjustment of the clamp 95 so that the sheets of pigment being projectedby the nozzles toward the object may be projected in any desired-plane depending upon the particular shape of the ob ect to be coated. Flexible conduits 98 serve to connect the nozzles with the circulating pipe to permit the adjustment of the nozzles. Similar mounting is provided for transversely extending nozzle 18.

From the foregoing description of my invention, it will be understood that I provide a coating machine for applying pigment to bulky and heavy objects, the ob ects being moved into the housing by a conveyor whereupon they are transferred to a second con veyor entirely disposed within the housing so that a minimum of pigment is carried out of the housing. Thereafter theobject istransferred to a third conveyor moving at a considerably slower speed which permits the surplus igment carried by the'object to drain there rom and dro to a collecting tray, which returns the col ected pigment to the reservoir of the circulating systemi It is to be further understood that the doors of the housing may be omitted. Also the intermittent pigment control is simply supported by the housing to provide for the splash incident to the operation of the nozzles. This machine is operable with practically -no manual effort on the part of theoperator and serves to provide against evaporation of the solvent carrying the pigment to a considerable extent. It maintains the combination oppositely disposed pigmentpigment solution at that consistency which is best adapted to the obtaining of amaximum pigment spray and by ipamtaining the pigment in constant circulation, all foreign matter coagulations and the like may be collected by the screen and thereby prevented from clogging the nozzles.

I claim:

1. A pigment applying machine havingin nozzles having elongated apertures adapted to discharge films of pigment, a pigment circulating system including a pump and a drip tray disposed beneath the nozzles, said noz zles being connected in the pigment circulating system by a universal connection to permit the adjustment of the nozzles whereng connecting members 92 by the nozzles may project opposed films of plgment toward the object hemp coated at angles obliquely to a vertical an a horizon tal plane a housing enclosing the nozzles and the dri tray, and a conveyor disposed within the ousing.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of an elongated housing, a conveyor therein, a pigment dripping tray disposed beneath the conveyor, an adjustable. elongated pigment projecting nozzle disposed within the housing, a pigment circulating system, including a ump connected tozthe nozzle and to the owerregion of the drip tray, a second-conveyor leading from the housing and means adapted to drive the two conveyers at different speeds.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of an elongated housing, a conveyor therein, a pigment dripping traydisposed beneath the conveyer, an

adjustable elongated pigment projecting nozzle disposed within the housing, a pigment circulating system including a pump connected to the nozzle and to the lower region of the drip tray, and by-pass valve means for controlling the passage. of pigment through the nozzle and which is responsive to the movement of an object to be coated when moved by the conveyer.

4. In an apparatus of the character de- I scribed, the combination of an elongated housing, a pigment dripping tray disposed tray disposed beneathp the conveyor, oppo sitely disposed pigment projecting nozzles having elongated apertures or slots arranged within the housin to extend at an oblique angle relative to t e vertical and. horizontal and a pigment circulating system connecting the nozzles and the pigment collecting tray includin a pum and also including a transversely ispose nozzle, the respective nozzles being adjustable to any angle within the limitations of the housing.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

EDWARD P. LANG. 

